Training Log Archive: ColmM

Scottish 6 Day 2013 - Day 1 - M21E
First race abroad since the czech training camp, and first semi-serious one since JWOC really.
With an easy year and very little winter training this year, but still reaping the benefits from Sweden's training and feeling fit and fast at times, I really didn't know what to expect.

Anyway, I started reasonably well. They were all easy, in and out of the path along the beach and in the forest, in hindsight I should have stayed in the forest more than the outer path as it was so quick. I straightened up as seemed the only option on the long leg across, through slightly tougher terrain, but I was feeling quite strong and the pace was still quite high for me. Through this loop and the light green and onto the trickiest area of controls 10-13. Navigating well, slowed down slightly by a massive track in front of 11 which was unfortunately unmapped. But not a major problem as I was right there, so only 5secs probably. I was confident though on 12 and nailed all the slightly larger depressions in the detailed area to come into it nicely, and was happy with the path-finding on the way to 13. On the long leg back to 14 I went right, straight through the terrain and linking up with the right-hand path about halfway, as I wasn't sure what the openy ride/path would be like. Probably a little slower, but it worked out reasonably well, apart from a small miss here on 14.
Ewan McCarthy caught me here.
He quickened the pace a little and I was decided on hanging on with only 4-5 controls left. I chose left around some veg though and we wer ebriefly separated before I came into 15 just ahead of him. I pushed on to 16 and was just in behind him for a bit. Wasn't sure if I'd hold on to him on the way to 17 and was working hard, but as we caught another guy they both split and went a little off. I went down the middle and was confident with my re-entrant but a little hesitant on my own towards the end, but boom, there she was. Through the green to 18, a little edgy. but home and run it in.
A really good performance from me physically. Unexpected, but happy about it. Orienteering well too, regardless of how easy parts of it were. Really happy with it though and good to see that the few legs with Ewan were top splits, so I got an idea of real pace. Nice guy too after a brief talk at the finish.

The nicest of the WOC 2015 training maps. Tough area. Hilly, physical terrain and very technical too, very nice area though, and gorgeous terrain. Thoroughly enjoyable orienteering, walked some sections and that before the Scottish starting tomorrow. Ran most though, regardless of what the pace suggests.

Warm up.

Hellfire Hillreps.
3 and 3.
Laurence is home so he got introduced to this pleasant session. He was feeling good on no.1 so he went for it. I was fine. Let him go. Rand solidly. Similar times on 2 and 3. But Laurence dropped off big time. Jonny chilled the first two, but Laurence had set the new course PB at 3:09 and Jonny wanted to beat it i think. 3:07 he did. Good stuff from the lads.
My times: 3:27, 3:31, 3:25.

On the shorter ones we got a real variety. I felt tired but able to open up a bit. Jonny was way off on 1, but hit a new course record on no.2. And we all tried to pick it up on 3.
My times: 0:46, 0:46, 0:42.
to think I did these in 1:00 before...